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Journal and News Scan
June 8, 2016
Submitted by: Tom C. Nguyen
In medicine we often use words not understandable to patients. For example, instead of saying, "does it hurt when you pee,” we say, “dysuria”… Roughly 80% of patients don’t understand their medical condition (Am J Emerg Med. 2000; PMID 11103725). This cartoon animation provides a clear explanation to help patients understand aortic stenosis.
June 5, 2016
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
The surgeon who gave his name to the simple but dramatic procedure used to rescue people from choking saved someone’s life with the Heimlich Manoeuvre for the first time this week aged 96.
Dr Henry Heimlich’s technique for dislodging food or objects caught in people’s throats has been credited with saving untold thousands of lives around the world since he invented it in 1974 – but he had never once had cause to use it in an emergency situation himself.
June 4, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The authors analyzed long-term outcomes after cardiac surgery in nearly 10,000 patients to evaluate the mortality risk of blood transfusion. Sex-mismatched transfusion increased mortality, and use of non-leukocyte-depleted blood was associated with increased mortality. The age of the blood productes was not related to mortality.
Commentary: http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30028-9/fulltext
June 4, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Outcomes are reported for initial use of a 4-branched graft with an incorporated distal stent graft for management of disease of the aortic arch combined with the proximal descending aorta. Operations were equally distributed among acute dissections, chronic dissections, and aneurysms. Surgical mortality was 7%, 3-year survival was 81%, and 22% needed additional intervention, much of which was performed endovascularly.
Commentary:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30069-1/fulltext
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30060-5/abstract
June 4, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Neurologic outcomes were evaluated in a randomized trial of TAVR or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for severe AS (750 pts). Stroke occurred about 50% more often in SAVR than TAVR pts at all follow-up time periods, but the differences were not statisticalyl significant. Cognitive changes after stroke were similar between the two groups.
Commentaries:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30014-9/fulltext
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)00404-9/fulltext
June 4, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
In order to develop an algorithm for identifying acute deterioration (urgent intubation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in infants with parallel systemic and pulmonary circulation, continuous physiologic monitoring data of 25 patients were retrospecitively reviewed and analyzed. 20 events were identified in 13 infants. The algorithm was effective in identifying impending events 1-2 hours prior to the event (ROC area 0.91).
Commentary: http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30106-4/fulltext
June 4, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The authors used data from the NCDB to assess long-term outcomes after SBRT (1,781) or lobectomy (13,562) for clinical stage I NSCLC in patients without important co-morbidities. Overall survival was significantly better after lobectomy for T1N0 (HR 0.38) and for T2N0 patients (HR 0.38). Propensity score matched patients (1781 pairs) also had significantly better survival at 5-years after lobectomy (59% vs 29%).
Commentary: http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223(16)30061-7/abstract
June 1, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The porcine study explores 3-dimensional geometrical deformation of the aortic root following the David procedure. It demonstrates by various measurements and by simulation that the parts of the aortic root are exposed to high pressure and low shear stress for much longer periods after David procedure compared to the native anatomy.
June 1, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
This award-winning study estimates the required thoracic surgery workforce until 2050 in consideration of the incidence of non-small-cell lung cancer, appropriate use of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy and a nation-wide CT-screening program at the example of Canada.
June 1, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
Aortic clamps can cause injuries of the vascular wall. This elegant study explores pressure distributions along the jaws of seven commonly used clamps.